Control device



l v March 7, 1939.

C. JOHNSTON CONTROL DEVICE Filled Jan. 25, 1937 Sheets-Sheet l Illl l llllllllu |r gm'wm aWJa/zm-m March 7, 1939. C. w, OHNS'TON 2,149,681

CONTROL 13m/ICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Jamas, 1957 Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES rPMENT oFF-ICE 2,149,681 CONTROL DEVICEy Carey W. Johnston, Newark, N. J.' Application January 25, 1937, serial No. 122,300

Y 9 Claims. wiring-*19) This invention relates generally to controlling devices and has for its particular object to provide a device of this character which is efficient, simple of construction, easily assembled, and cheap. Heretofore similar devices have been untrustworthy, complicated, incorporating springs and various movable parts which eventually become inactive and thereby cause the device to become worthless and, as in the case of devices of `this .character which are used where human life depends upon them, an actual source of danger. In aviation it is paramount that such devices be of the utmost sturdiness, precision, and dependability. It will be seen from the following speci- `cation and drawings that I have entirely overcome allof the objections herein set forth of devices of Vthis character.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully disclosed "hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals designate like parts in al1 the views- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken centrally ofthe parts in coupled position;

Figs. la and 1b are detail views, partly in elevation and partlyl in section, illustrating construc- .tion modifications ofdeating pin engagement over that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a view of the parts shown inFig. 1 but separated to showfcertain relationships not appearing in Fig. 1;

Fig; 3 is an end elevational View ofthe female member of the controlling device;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational lview of the malemember of the controlling device;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the female member showing a detail of construction;

Fig. 6 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing a modified form of male member;

Fig. 'I is a perspective view of Yone of the parts Y shown in Fig.6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a further modified form of a male member;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the member shown in Fig. 8;

Fig, 10 is a view'somewhat similar to Fig. 9 but showing'a modification of the construction illustrated therein; and 'Y Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the deflating 55 pin shown in Fig. 1.V

applicable to a coupling for a`tire valve stem as usedon automobiles or other vehicles, and in this latter respect constitutes an addition or improvement over the coupling disclosed' in my U. S. LettersPatentNo.'1,956,578 granted May l, 1934,

entitled Tire deflation Vindicator switch, in that' the present invention is peculiarly adapted to use with a tire valve stem disposed at a relative distance from such an indicator switch as for example when dual tires are used as upon trucksv or busses. j However, it is `to be understood that there are other uses to whichthis inventive device is applicable and therefore I reserve the right to various modifications which will not depart from the spirit of the invention, and allv of the claims should be read in the light thereof.

lReferring to the drawings, the numeral I indicates a tire valve stem provided with the usual valve insides including the actuating pin 2 which when moved inwardlyV with respect to the valve stem will open the valve and let air pass therethrough. The male member of this coupling comprises a collar 3 threaded upon the external threads of the valve stem and adapted to be locked in position thereonv by the locking nut 4, said collar and said nut having tapered coengaging surfaces as clearly `shown in Fig. 1, and the collar asbest seen in Fig. fi is provided with a plurality of yradially extending lugs indicated at 5 spaced around the male member.

`A pipe 6 has its end secured within the socketV portion 1 of a sleeve generally indicated by the numeral 8 having a loose sliding fit within a cylinder generally indicated by the numeral 9 the free end of the latter having an enlarged diameter a thecylinder Vil, come into lockedposition behind,

said lugs Il. One of the lugs ,Il ory 5 may be formed withan integral extension IZseIVingas a stopte correctly position the lugs 5 "and` l i in fu'llycoupledv position, see Fig. 5.

' Ifhe sleeve Y8' provided with aycentral bore I5 for the passage of air, and a button member has its base I6 nicely fitted within a correspondingly shaped recess within said sleeve, said button having a central stud I'I constituting a deflating pin which is of a length such that, when the coupling is made, said stud will engage and move the pin 2 of the valve insides thereby opening said valve. In Figs. 1 and 11 the end of the stud or pin is shown concave formed as at I'Ia to coact with the convex end of the valve insides, but obviously this construction could be reversed or other formations given to the stud I 'I as indicated in Figs. 1a, and 1b, the principal object being to have such a formation as will insure the coengagement of the members 2 and I 'I throughout the time that the coupling is retained.

The base I5 of said button like member may be undercut or recessed as at I6@ to reduce surface adhesion and is provided with a plurality of aperturesindicated at I8 communicating with said recess through which air may pass, and a sealing member or ring I9 of rubber or other suitable resilient substance is disposed against the opposite surface of the base of said button and preferably seated in a groove-like depression. formed in the inner surface of the sleeve 8 to prevent displacement of said ring, the position of said ring being such that the end of lthe valve stem I will be seated thereagainst when the coupling is complete, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, said ring having a central aperture of greater diameter than the stud I 'I (which extends through said aperture) to permit passage of air.V

A collar 29 is provided having a sliding fit onthe outer surface of the socket member l and is secured to the cylinder 9 by a plurality of screws or other suitable fastening means such as 2|.

From what has been described, it will now be understood that the cylinder 9 may have a free sliding litv on the exterior surface of the sleeve 8 but that limit of this movement in one direction is caused by the collar 20 abutting the shoulder 22 of the sleeve 8 and that limit in the other direction is caused by the inner face of lug I I striking the end 8a, of the sleeve. Further it will be understood that at all times air or any other desired medium is capable of passing from the pipe 6 through the coupling into the Valve stem I, or vice versa, by virtue of the openings I5 and I8. Lastly the collar 3 is secured on the valve stem by the lock nut 4 in such position that when the coupling is completed the end of the valve stem will be iirmly seated against the sealing member I9 to prevent any lateral escape of air or other medium and therefore to insure passagerof the medium only from the pipe 6 into the valve stem or from the valve stem into said pipe, it being a further important feature that the parts 3 and 4 are so formed and dimensioned that, when locked to the valve stem, the space between the lugs 5 of the male member (collar) and the side Vof the nut 4 is `iust sufficient to receive the thickness of the lugs II of the female member whereby wobbling of the tire valve with respect to the cylinder 9 is substantially made impossible.

Whereas in Fig. 1 the pin 2 of the valve insides is showndepressed by virtue of contact with-the stud I'I when thercoupling is completed, in Fig. 2 said pin is shown in its position when the coupling is broken in which latter position the valve insides forms a closed valve.

' With. reference to Figs. 6 and 7, there is shown a modification of construction of the male member and its locking nut, substantially the only dierence over that above described being that the former is provided in its skirt portion with a plurality of slots or grooves 25 so that when the nut 4 is coengaged with the collar there will be a compression of the skirt portions 26 in a radial direction to bind more tightly the collar 3 between the threads of the valve stem I and the inner tapered surface 21 of the lock nut 4, the latter being provided with a set screw 28 for securing the lock nut against backing off the collar 3.

According to the modification shown in Figs.l 8,4 9 and 10, the locking nut 4 may or may not be,- used. The male member comprises a cylinder- 30 internally threaded for engagement with the Valve stem but formed with an inwardly extending annular wall 3l at one end to limit the extent of the cylinder on said stem, there being provided a sealing ring 32 of lead or other suitable soft material serving as a seat for the eX- treme end of said valve stem, the wall 3l being centrally apertured as at 33 for the passage of air, and provided on its outer surface with a plurality of concentric grooves or protuberances such as 34 for engagement with the surface of the sealing ring I9 of the female member and thereby establish a more positive seal therewith.l

At a point along the cylinder 3!! there is provided a plurality of outward radially extending lugs substantially the same as the lugs 5 previously described, and a second set of similar lugs indicated by the numeral 35 is positioned in axial registry with the lugs 5 but spaced therefrom a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the lugs II cf the female member, and the distance of the lugs 35 from the end wall 3I is made such as to permit the proper seal of the valve stem on the sealing ring I9 when the cou-A pling is completed. Therefore it will be seen that:I the double formation of the lugs 5 and 35 creates space 36 therebetween which corresponds to the space between the lugs 5 and the surfacecjl the locking nut li as mentioned in connection with the description of the parts shown in Fig. l to prevent wobbling of the Valvel stem with respect to the sleeve 8 when the coupling is completed. Whereas the male members of this coupling as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6 are screwed onto the valve stem with the lugs 5 next to the outer end of the valve stem, the modied form of` male member shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is screwed onto the valve stem in reverse order or with the lugs farthest away from the end of the valve stem. The construction shown in Fig. 10 Vis substantially a duplicate of thatshown in Fig. 9 with the additionof an annular portion 3l having a conical exterior surface for coengagement with a lockingnut such as ifV desired, which portion may or may not be provided with slits such as 25. l

In operation the ends of the two pipes are brought together in substantial coaxial alignment and the pipe I (tire valve stem) pressed firmly into the female member against the sealing ring I9 sufliciently to permit the engagement of the two sets of coupling lugs 5 and II, this coengagement being accomplished by a slight rotational movement of the cylinder 9. While this is being done the stud i7 will have actuated the pin 2 of the valve insides and thereby opened the valve in the pipe I as a result of which the medium conducted by the pipes may pass freevalve in one of said pipes and including a valve pin; and means carried by the other pipe to actuate said pin when the ends of the pipes are coupled, said means comprising a stud having an integral base i'lxedly retained by said sealing member.

2. In a pipe coupling the combination of a pair of pipes and a sealing member therebetween; a valve in one of said pipes and including a valve pin; means carried by the other pipe to actuate said pin when the ends of the pipes are coupled; and a plurality of lugs carried by each pipe, .the lugs of one pipe adapted to coengage with the lugs of the other pipe to hold said pipes in coupled relation, the lugs of one pipe adjustableA thereon to compensate for compacting of said sealing member.

3. In a pipe coupling the combination of a pair of pipes; a valve in one of said pipes and including a valve pin; means carried by the other pipe to actuate said pin when the ends of the pipes are coupled; and a plurality of lugs carried by each pipe, the lugs of one pipe adapted to coengage with the lugs of the other pipe to hold said pipes in coupled relation, a lug of one pipe having a laterally bent edge portion adapted to limit the coen- `gaging movement of the edge of a cooperating lug on the other pipe.

4. In a pipe coupling the combination of a pair of pipes, one of said pipes provided With external threads; a valve in one of said pipes and including a valve pin; means carried by the other pipe to actuate said pin when the ends of the pipes are coupled; and means to secure said pipes in coupled relation, said means comprising one set of members locked to said threads of the one pipe and a second set of members loosely carried by the other pipe, one set of members adapted to coengage with the second set of members.

5. In a pipe coupling'the combinatiton of a pair of pipes, one of said pipes provided with external threads; a valve in one of said pipes and including a valve pin; means carried by the other pipe to actuate said pin when the ends of the pipes are coupled; and means to secure said pipes in coupled relation, said means comprising one set of members adjustably locked to said threads of the one pipe and a second set of members loosely carried by the other pipe, one set of members adapted to registrably and lockingly coengage with the second set of members.

6. In a pipe coupling the combination of a pair of pipes, one of said pipes provided with external threads; a valve in one of said pipes and including a valve pin; means carried by the other pipeto actuate said pin When the ends of the pipes are coupled; and means to secure said pipes in coupled relation, said means comprising one set of members locked to said threads of the one pipe and a second set of members integrally mounted upon a cylinder axially slidable on the other pipe, one set of members adapted to coengage Withthe second set of members.

'7. In a pipe coupling the combination of a pair of pipes; a set of coupling members mounted on one of said pipes; a second set of coupling members mounted on the other pipe, said'second set coengaging With said first named set to hold said pipes in coupled relation; and means threadingly engaging one of said pipes and lockingly securing one of said sets to said pipe, said means also engaging the other set to hold both sets in rigid relation to each other when the pipes are coupled,

8. In a pipe coupling the combination of a pipe; a valve pin for actuating a valve in said pipe; a second pipe having secured to its end a sleeve; a stud having a base slidably mounted in said sleeve, said stud registrable with said pin for actuating the valve when both of said pipes are coupled, said base having ports therethrough establishing passages for the medium conducted by said pipes; a sealing ring mounted in said sleeve and engageable With the end of said first named pipe and retaining said stud base in fixed position; a cylinder loosely mounted upon said sleeve and provided With a set of coupling members at its free end; and a second set of coupling members carried by said lirst named pipe and coengaging with said second named set to hold both of said pipes in coupled relation.

9. In a pipe coupling the combination of a pair of pipes and a sealing member therebetween; a valve in one of saidrpipes and including a valve pin; and means carried by the other pipe to actuate said pin when the ends of the pipes are coupled, said means comprising a stud having an integral base fixedly retained by said sealing member, said base receiving the thrust from the compressed sealing member when said pipes are coupled. 

